Dáil debates

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

Other Questions

Sports Capital Programme.

3:00 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the commitments made for each year, including 2008, which are outstanding in respect of the 2008 sports capital budget; if it is expected that all of the €56 million will be drawn down in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41288/08]

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. Since 1998, the Government has allocated more than €725 million in sports capital funding to more than 7,400 sports projects nationwide. This investment has transformed the sporting landscape of Ireland and has allowed the development of sports facilities nationwide. These facilities have dramatically increased the opportunities for all people to engage in a wide variety of sports.

I will circulate, with my reply, a tabular statement that sets out the amount of outstanding allocations as at the end of October for each of the years of the programme since 2002, when the Department was established. The full 2008 allocation of €58 million from the C1 subhead, which is provided for grants to sporting bodies for the provision of sports and recreation facilities, has been distributed to the successful applicants at this stage. The multi-annual capital investment framework from 2009 to 2013, as published in the Book of Estimates, will enable the commitments made under the sports capital programme to be met in future years.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Sports Capital Programme

Sports Capital Programme
YearSubhead AllocationStill to be drawn down
200850,250,00047,298,000
200785,000,00056,699,574
200691,835,99734,465,958
200566,233,65215,863,306
2004101,783,01412,532,168
200353,358,5005,465,169
200297,880,4004,121,591
200175,225,5613,657,677
200053,115,302479,792
199934,270,2314,410
Total*708,952,657180,587,645
*As at end October 2008.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I understand the Minister has informed various organisations that there will be no new capital sports grant scheme this year. Precious little will happen in Abbotstown, I understand there will be no new swimming pool programme this year and obviously, there will be no money for the universities' sports capital programme either. The Minister's own programme, that is, the sports capital grant scheme, is funded out of national lottery money. The money to be spent this year was committed last year or in previous years and I presume it will be paid out as the applications come in. Consequently, I presume that any savings that will accrue will not do so until 2010. What will happen to the lottery money in 2010, if it is not bound for the sports capital grants scheme?

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I wish the money came from the national lottery. However, there is no abrogated tax to my Department marked, "national lottery". The national lottery money goes into the central Exchequer.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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If one examines the budget book——

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am giving the Deputy a straight answer, if she will permit me to finish.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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——every year, it states the scheme is partially funded by the national lottery.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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While the national lottery may well believe that, I am giving the Deputy a straight answer.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The national lottery does not prepare the budget.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Not a single cent of the money that comes in from the national lottery goes to my Department. The money from the national lottery goes to the central Exchequer and every year, when the Estimates are prepared, I bid for resources for my Department. If some of those resources happen to come from the national lottery, that is fine. However, the point I am trying to make is there is a widespread misunderstanding in this regard. People throughout the country keep telling me that I have no worries because my funding comes from the national lottery. My reply is that this is not the case and that the lottery money goes to the central Exchequer, rather than to my Department. I get my share of the total income received by the Exchequer. It forms part of the total income, as does income tax, VAT, stamp duty or whatever else.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In the minute left to us, if Deputy Mitchell will allow me——

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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That is how it is done.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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——I will call two Deputies.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am simply outlining the position to the Deputy.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Minister should allow Deputy Upton to ask a question.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I wish it was different.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Please, Minister.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is earmarked in legislation for recreation and sport.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I will call the Deputy again. I call Deputy Upton.

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I have a slightly different angle on this issue. In a recent reply to a parliamentary question I tabled on the sunset clause, the Minister stated that slightly more than €23 million was not drawn down between 2001 and 2008. Some of this funding pertained to the Clár and RAPID disadvantaged areas. Can this funding be extended? I refer to the percentage that must be put in place to meet the matching funds, because often such areas do not have the capacity to do so. This reverts to my earlier question. For example, boxing clubs often operate within disadvantaged areas and even if funding is available, they are not always in a position to draw it down because of their lack of resources.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There must be a point——

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Minister should wait as I have not yet called him. I will take Deputy Mitchell as well for her final supplementary.

Photo of Seán PowerSeán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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For round 15.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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When the relevant legislation was passed, I specifically remember the national lottery money was earmarked. The legislation states it must be spent on sport and recreation.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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That has not been the case for a long time.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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What does the Minister mean?

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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If one considers the overall contribution from the national lottery, it is significantly greater than that.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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This issue will be raised in this House.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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While that sounds like——

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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When the Oireachtas passes laws and provides the Government with authority to spend money——

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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There would not be as many tickets sold now.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That sounds like a good question——

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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This is outrageous.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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——for the next Question Time.

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I would be delighted if the moneys from the national lottery were abrogated, if that is the correct term, to sport, to my Department.

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Nine out of ten people believe that to be the case.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister telling me it is going into a black hole?

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am simply clarifying for the Deputy——

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That concludes Question Time for today.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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A question to the Minister for Finance is appropriate in this respect. The Minister should have asked questions——

Photo of Martin CullenMartin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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——the money goes to the central Exchequer.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy should allow the Minister his final sentence.

Photo of Michael KennedyMichael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should not dig a hole.

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Government should not put lottery money into a hole.